Washington, Nov 8 : US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte has said that partnership with Pakistan and its people is the only option for Washington.

“As we assess our relationship with Pakistan, we need to protect our vital, long-term interests in Pakistan by helping the Pakistani people ensure Pakistan's progress toward democracy and civilian rule," Negroponte said in a testimony to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.

Reaffirming President George W Bush's demands on Musharraf, including that the general resign his position as head of the army, Negroponte said the US “strongly counselled” against the imposition of emergency rule in Pakistan, but Islamabad did not follow the American advice.

"But the President (Bush) also pointed out that President Musharraf has been indispensable in the global war on terror,” The News quoted Negroponte, as saying.

"We cannot afford to have on-again, off-again interactions that characterized our relationship in the past," he said, adding, “Pakistan’s future is too vital to our interests and our national security to ignore or to downgrade." (ANI)